Page 20 - 358264 LP231909 A Love Supreme 48pp A5 (Issue 257)

BY SEAN MACKIE
FOOTBALL AS
We caught up with, Simon Bartram, the super talented artist, whose award-winning work often features his beloved Sunderland Football Club...
Tell us a little about your creative background
Originally from Hebburn, I have worked as an artist, illustrator and author for 30 years. Football and art are
my two great loves. As a kid I loved to draw anything to do with football and, more, specifically Sunderland. My mother’s loft is crammed with drawings of Gary Rowell, Stan Cummins, Kevin Arnott, Chris Turner, etc, as well as pics of Roker Park, Sunderland shirts and badges etc. I went my first match in 1977, a 1-0 win over Birmingham City, Mel Holden scoring the winner. In 1985, to mark
the League Cup Final, I drew a really detailed pic of the featured players and headed Roker Park in the hope of getting it signed. I managed to do that which was great, but not only that, I was bowled over to be asked to do some drawings for the programme, Roker Review. For two seasons I did a picture of whichever player was in profile that match (the second seasons were better, Gary Bennett being the best one!) That was my first job in art.
So how did you go from that to having a career in creating art?
After college etc I began work as a freelance illustrator working on paintings for magazines, book covers, adverts and so on. Eventually I found my way into illustrating children’s book and then writing them. In 2004 I won Blue Peter Book of the Year for my picture book called ‘Man on the Moon’. A series of books followed featuring an astronaut called Bob, who works on the moon. The picture books are packed with Sunderland references, particularly as the series went on. By the second book Bob is wearing a red and white striped badge. He even has a picture of the Stadium of Light in his cockpit. Apparently, plenty of aliens are Sunderland fans too. There is one black and white badge in the series and that is worn by a despicable rogue intent on mischief. You get the picture.
And you currently have your won exhibition
Just now, I am working as an artist as opposed to an illustrator. I have a solo show currently running at Hartlepool Art Gallery. There are a lot of portraits and fictional portraits on display, and again, a lot to interest for Sunderland fans, I hope. I have come full circle and
I am again enjoying painting strips and badges. The sea features too. Spot the railings at Seaburn and Roker Pier. The paintings are quite detailed and take a long
AN ARTFORM
time but it’s my ambition to do many more. I would love
to do an epic painting of the Trafalgar Square gatherings one day although I fear it would take forever to complete.
I would also really like to start painting the portraits of real Sunderland fans. I always see characters at the match who I know would make great subjects. It’s plucking up the nerve to approach them that’s the problem! Seriously though, it would make a great series. The exhibition is on until April 23.
How do you think we’re doing this season and will we go up?
With regards to this season, here and now, I am cautiously optimistic. I think the transfer window has been encouraging and will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season. Overall, I’ve enjoyed watching the team this season. We just need to concentrate on ourselves on not worry how many games in hand other teams might have. We will of course have blips along the way but it’s important that they don’t turn into three or four game blips. I don’t think they will. I’m looking forward to the run in, but I think we will go up.
BARTRAM SELF PORTRAIT
20 ALOVESUPREME ISSUE257